Side Effects and Ways to Avoid Them

Abstract

Pilocarpine, a parasympathomimetic drug used in the treatment of glaucoma, produces a variety of ocular and systemic adverse reactions. Ocular side effects include miosis, accommodative spasm, frontal headaches, twitching lids, conjunctival injection, cataractous changes, allergic reactions, iris cysts, retinal detachment, increased permeability of the blood-aqueous barrier, anterior chamber narrowing, and the potential for inducing an acute angle-closure attack. Systemic side effects include nausea, vomiting, tenesmus, abdominal spasm, salivation, lacrimation, sweating, pulmonary edema, and bronchial spasm. The systemic side effects can best be minimized initially through proper use of the medication and nasolacrimal occlusion. The Ocusert,® a long-acting pilocarpine-incorporated ocular insert, is a recent advance in delivery technique that offers an adequate hypotensive action with fewer side effects. Pilopex® is a promising new experimental pilocarpine polymer salt presently being studied in Israel. Photomydriasis, a process involving the use of a laser to enlarge miotic pupils also offers help for these patients. N-demethylated carbachol is a new parasympathomimetic drug currently under study for glaucoma therapy. Initial results show that it may have considerable ocular hypotensive action with fewer adverse effects.